SEATTLE - The distinctive laugh that echoed from the Seahawks locker room Thursday afternoon could only come from one person: Richard Sherman. It was a laugh that resonated through the cavernous hallways of the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, just like Sherman fills a room with personality when he walks in.

Sherman has been laughing at opposing quarterbacks for three seasons now. He dares them to throw his way, then makes them feel like the smallest person on the planet - embarrassing them by picking off passes they later realize they should have never thrown.

The rest of the NFL hears Sherman's laughter and they're not finding it funny. Quarterbacks no longer want to be the punchline to Sherman's joke. They're avoiding him at all cost, and it was suggested Thursday that Sherman is locking down his receiver, and creating an island where quarterbacks won't go.

The island is in reference to "Revis Island," the nickname given to the side of the field patrolled by former Jet and current Bucs shutdown corner Darrelle Revis. Revis and Sherman has sparred with by way of Twitter.

At the suggestion of "Sherman Island," the Seahawks corner bristled, "No, no, no. I don't want to be an island, I don't like that. I want to be more of a tourist attraction, I want to be the guy, you stop here, I take your money and then you go, everybody has a good day. I don't want to be an island."

Sherman has hardly been an attraction this year for opposing quarterbacks. Last season, only his second in the league, he had eight interceptions. This year after 10 games he has four.

Most of Sherman's big-play interceptions success is baiting the other quarterback into thinking he has a chance to complete a pass, then actually throwing the ball. Sherman then reacts. With the quickness of a cat, he attacks, breaking up the play by making a tackle or grabbing the interception. This has made him one of the best, if not the best corner in the league, and it's why passes aren't coming his way this season - he's too good.

When you're around Sherman you really begin to see how truly confident, and smart the Stanford graduate is. He's perceptive, humorous and intensely competitive. He is a natural around TV cameras, and has become a regular contributor to Sports Illustrated. Sherman has a feel for the game of football that is ridiculous, and he backs down from nothing. He's also a student, studying receivers and their tendencies.

More importantly - something he mentions on a regular basis - he works on his technique. He gets himself right, before he even tries to worry about someone else, and that's why Richard Sherman is so good. There really is separation in the preparation.

Sherman will laugh and joke with opposing players throughout a game. He may even get a quarterback or two to think he's not paying attention or looking too relaxed, fooling them just long enough to throw one pass in his direction. But by the end of the fourth quarter he's usually the only one laughing - so loud that you can hear him on the other side of the field.